There are so many factors that affect how our lives turn out, but one of the most interesting is how our backgrounds give us unique strengths and perspectives that affect who we are as adults. We asked rising stars from the community to tell us about their background and upbringing and how they feel it’s impacted who they are today.

Dede Wells, MBA | Virtual CFO & Boy Mom

I am originally from Macon, Georgia. I’ve lived in a few other states but, after graduating college and separating from the Military, I decided to come back home. I came back home to be close to my siblings. I grew up in a single parent home with 9 children. As you can imagine, there wasn’t a lot of money floating around. I had to learn early on the value of hard work and being independent. Read more>>

Carlos V. Gutierrez | Film Writer & Director

I was born and raised in Miami by Cuban immigrants who came to this country with dreams & hopes like every immigrant does. What makes me so proud to have been raised that way is that it truly is the American Way, we are a country of immigrants. I did not speak English until I was 6 years old so that showed me, even as a kid, that my culture & language were something to be prideful about. I grew up listening to Spanish in the house, on the radio and even on TV. Read more>>

Arianna Jones | Actress, Dancer, Writer & Civil Rights Activist

I grew up in a very small rural town called Esmont, Virginia, about 45 minutes outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, with my mother and my grandparents after my parents separated. Because our town was so small, we had a very strong, unified community in the area. We all attended the same church, went to the same events, shopped at the same stores; everyone knew one another and saw each other frequently. It was almost as if everyone in town was family. My grandmother would often babysit many of the children in the area so her tiny, cozy trailer would always be very lively, full of people and children from the neighborhood during the day. Read more>>

JadaRe | Hip Hop / R&B Artist

My name is JadaRe AKA Soufside Baby & I am From Atlanta , Ga . As a child I grew up in Riverdale Ga but moved around throughout my childhood in different Metro Atlanta areas . Atlanta is known for being the party city and it’s culture for music . Everywhere you go there is music playing , people lit and turnt up , and just all around creative art . I grew up in the hood so music was apart of everyone’s life . It was a way to either explain our reality or get away from our reality . Read more>>

Dana Toledo | Creative + Entrepreneur

This has been a tricky question all my life…I’m from everywhere! I was born in San Diego, raised in the Philippines, grown in South Georgia + metro Atlanta, bred in Los Angeles, and I’m now back living (and thriving) in Atlanta. Initially raised by my grandfather and aunt in San Diego the first five years of my life, I was an extremely independent child. My mother had me and hopped over to New York to complete her medical education, and my father and older brother lived in the Philippines. Read more>>